If you could go back in time to watch a player/players, who would you watch?

[BrewCrewRising]

The '57 Braves work of course. I'd like the watch the Hammer over the course of a season. His thin, wiry arms belied by the knots of steel in his wrists that produced homeruns at a marathon pace.

 

The Ted Williams playing with the .400 season on the line was a great one.

 

I'd love to see the Babe's approach at the plate. Just wonder how a Titan like that went about his business.

 

I'd like to see Jackie Robinson play. Mostly like to see how it differed from the players around him. How other players reacted, and how off-guard they seemed at a guy they hated juke around the bases with grace and guile.

 

I'd like to see how Cy Young pitched as a reliever a day after pitching a complete game. I'd like to see the famed Spahn/Marichal match. I'd like to see Willie Mays rob a home run. I'd like to see the Reds first game and know I saw the first game of the oldest MLB franchise.

[homer]

I'd love to go back in time and watch the Cubs choke it away against the Marlins in 2003.

 

I'd also love to go see any Negro League game from the 30's or 40's particularly one involving Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson.

 

Others I'd like to see:

 

any game from Ty Cobb just to see what those guys got away with.

Braves in '57

I'd like to watch Brooks Robinson play defense

I'd love to follow the Yankees the year Mantle and Maris were knocking home runs all over the place.

I'd love to see Bob Gibson or Sandy Koufax in their primes.

[topper09er]

I think if I had a time machine, I'd go back to 1909 and buy lots and lots of cigarettes from the the American Tobacco Company and stockpile T206 Honus Wagner cards. Heck, I'd only need 10 or so and I could retire. Of course, tons of the other cards in the "set" would set my family up for several generations. And, wow, I'd be the most popular guy in town--I'd give the cigarettes (ICK!) away to anybody that would want them if I could just have the cards.

Or bet everyone you could find that Babe Ruth would hit 54 HRs in 1920.

 

I think I would enjoy seeing famous games rather than just one player in their prime, like what did Babe Ruth do in the 32 WS when he "called his shot" or Don Larson's perfect game, Bobby Thompson, Willie Mays' catch, Carlton Fisk, Harvey Haddux game (which my grandpa actaully was at) Lou Gehrigs speech...there are so many

[RoseBowlMtg]

The 1919 World Series to see how Shoeless Joe Jackson played: He hit .375 and got thrown out of baseball.

 

Right -- and then you could see him play poorly in the games that the Sox tanked.

I didn't know it was best out of nine then.

 

Shoeless was 0-4 in game 1 when they lost 9-1. Hmmm ?

 

Game 2 Black Sox lost 4-2 and Shoeless was 3-4. Did he not get the memo?

 

Game 4 loss 2-0 and Shoeless was 1-4 double and 3 PO's

 

Game 5 loss 5-0 Shoeless 0-4

 

Game 8 loss 10-5 Shoeless was 2-5 3 RBI's HR and 2B

 

So in the 5 losses Shoeless was 6-21 .286 12 TB No errors

 

Series totals: .375/.294/..563/ .956 no errors which was better than his total for the season: .351/.422/.506/.928

 

That would have been great seeing Eddie Cicotte have two errors in one game and Schalk yell at the players throwing it.

 

FYI, the White Sox were trying to win Game 8 after getting stiffed by the gamblers. They just happened to lose. Just for context.

 

Game 1

First AB, Top of Second, Score 1 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe reaches on SS error to lead off inning. Eventually scores.

Second AB, Top of 4th, Score 1 - 1, Shoeless Joe grounds out to SS with 1 out, no one on.

Third AB, Top of 6th, Score 6 - 1 Reds, Shoeless Joe grounds out to 1B with runners on 1st and 2nd and 1 out. (Now 0 for 1 with RISP in thrown games.)

Fourth AB, Top of 9th, Score 9 - 1 Reds, Shoeless Joe flies out to deep right.

 

Game 2

First AB, Top of 2nd, Score 0 - 0, Shoeless Joe doubled to lead off and was left stranded out there, by his teammates who were in on the fix.

Second AB, Top of 4th, Score 0 - 0, Shoeless Joe singled to left with Buck Weaver on first. His teammates left both of them stranded.

Third AB, Top of 6th, Score 3 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe struck out looking with Buck Weaver on 2nd with one out. (Now 0 for 2 with RISP in thrown games.)

Fourth AB, Top of 8th, Score 3 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe reached on infield single to 1B with 2 out, no one on.

 

Game 4

First AB, Bottom of 2nd, Score 0 - 0, Shoeless Joe doubled to lead off and was left stranded out there, by his teammates who were in on the fix.

Second AB, Bottom of 3rd, Score 0 - 0, Shoeless Joe reached on an error by the second baseman with a runner on 2nd and 2 outs. (Now 0 for 3 with RISP in thrown games.)

Third AB, Bottom of 6th, Score 2 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe grounds out to SS to leadoff inning.

Fourth AB, Bottom of 8th, Score 2 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe strikes out with 1 out, noone on.

 

Game 5

First AB, Bottom of 1st, Score 0 - 0, Shoeless Joe pops out to 3B, with runner on 3B and 1 out. (Now 0 for 4 with RISP in thrown games.)

Second AB, Bottom of 4th, Score 0 - 0, Shoeless Joe grounds out to Pitcher with 1 out, noone on.

Third AB, Bottom of 7th, Score 4 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe grounds out to 2B to leadoff inning.

Fourth AB, Bottom of 9th, Score 5 - 0 Reds, Shoeless Joe grounds out to 2B to end game with runner on 3B. (Finishes 0 for 5 with RISP in thrown games.)

 

Obviously, we'll never know what was in Shoeless Joe's head, but in context there's nothing in the thrown games that suggests that he wasn't in on the fix. A couple of hits to keep it looking non-obvious and a lot of groundouts, isn't a particularly impressive showing. He didn't even hit the ball out of the infield with RISP in fixed games.

 

Robert

 

That is some impressive information. The first risp situation would be considered a productive out.

 

I wonder if Shoeless was told that the fix wasn't on in the other games. Only 1 homer in the series and it was by Jackson. Why it would have been nice to see this was also because two of the risp situations Jackson got on by errors. Did he hustle? Was it a smash? Was he consistantly hitting the ball harder than the others? It would be very interesting.

[JimH5]

I'd enjoy seeing older ballplayers, sure. But I'd REALLY like to see what some of those old ballparks really looked like. In person. In COLOR.
I can only imagine County Stadium from the 80s 'til death. Wonder what it really looked like brand new.
I agree, though, this is an excellent topic. Very difficult to nail down just a handful of players.
I think if I had a time machine, I'd go back to 1909 and buy lots and lots of cigarettes from the the American Tobacco Company and stockpile T206 Honus Wagner cards. Heck, I'd only need 10 or so and I could retire. Of course, tons of the other cards in the "set" would set my family up for several generations. And, wow, I'd be the most popular guy in town--I'd give the cigarettes (ICK!) away to anybody that would want them if I could just have the cards.


Hey pitchleague. . .There's a great series widely available on video called "When it was a Game". I think there's 3 editions of that, with color footage from the bygone days. . .plus there's another guy at www.raresportsfilms.com with an archive of old stuff, including some great Milwaukee Braves titles and some neat looks at County Stadium in its infancy. His catalog is a staple on my Christmas list, and I hope to get another DVD or two this year.

As for the T-206 Wagners, unless you plan on spending your retirement years bathing in champagne, I don't think you would need 10 of those cards to fund it. . .The last ten Wagner T206s to change hands publicly sold for an aggregate $10 million.
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/latest-sports-collecting-news/t206-wagner-card-sold-for-925-000.html

Sadly, I wasn't the seller of any of them. . .

[hawing]

Agreed, seeing the early days of County Stadium and the fan atmosphere that inspired the phrase "an insane asylum with bases" would be cool...maybe until I ran into my grandpa and messed up time a la Back to the Future.

[Buckylovesbeer]

I should have thought of this earlier.....but I would love to go back to 1982 and go to County Stadium for the American League Championship Series and the World Series.....I was 2 at the time, and Mom and Dad got to go and I had to stay with Grandma (That does make sense I guess...) All I have are the programs.....

 

That would be cool to see the place go nuts as the Brewers win the American League

[pitchleague]

yeah, Jim, I've seen the "When it was a Game" series back on HBO a long time ago (probably when they first aired.) Good stuff indeed.

 

But I'd want to see it in person. Those home movies were still too grainy to really appreciate those ball parks, although I'm thankful that the films exist.

 

What did those old stadiums smell like? Did County Stadium always smell like 40 years of beer and brats? (man, I miss that County Stadium smell. Not the smell in the air, but the actual smell of the actual building.)

 

I agree with many here also that it would be great to see some of the greats of the game and the regular joes and watch a full game and see how they really played it back then. The old videos and stuff are still highly edited together clips.

 

This is a great thread . . . . .

[The Truth]

Josh Gibson!

 

since we're talking "science fiction", I'd take the time machine to an alternative universe where MLB was integrated throughout it's existence. Would love to see Satchel Paige pitching against Ruth and Gehrig (I realize it happened in an exhibition game once or twice, I'd like to see it throughout a season).

 

And yes, I'd love to see Ty Cobb play

[Tbadder]

I'd like to see the two greatest baseball players ever--Honus Wagner and Josh Gibson. (insert wink) But seriously, I'd love to watch the formative days of baseball and the dead ball era. I've always thought the home run was cheap and loved the triple. I like the stolen base and drunks spiking one another in a rage. I'd like to see Cool Papa Bell score from 1st on a single. And I'd love to see Tris Speaker patrolling centerfielder. I've always thought that Speaker was the most underrated great player, and someone I'd choose over Wille Mays in CF all-time. I'd like to see King Kelly and his entourage or gang after a ball game, following him into a bar and observing him holding court. And the babe, fat old man Babe, dying Babe, inelegant and brutal till the end. The guy who popularized and mythologized baseball and sent it down the wrong path which ultimately led to the worst thing about baseball--the DH. I'd just want to heckle him without mercy until I was beat up by his unthinking minions.

[TooLiveBrew]

I like the stolen base and drunks spiking one another in a rage.

 

There's always more room on the Cardinals bandwagon http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[berniebrewer4life]

I'm glad others have said Josh Gibson. I would have loved to see him play. After him i would watch the 27 yankees, and the 57 braves in the world series.